BOSTON, Mass. - Senior midfielder Kashka Gammon (Nashua, N.H.) matched her career high with six points, scoring two goals and added a pair of assists to lead the Simmons College women's soccer team to a 9-0 victory over visiting Newbury College today at Daly Field in Brighton, Mass. The Sharks even their record 1-1-0, while the Nighthawks fall to 0-1-0 following their season opener.
The Simmons goal total was its highest scoring output since a 16-0 triumph over Anna Maria College on October 6, 2012. Gammon is the first player to register six points in a game since she did it with a hat trick at Norwich University on October 7, 2015. Junior midfielder Cíara Forde (Quincy, Mass.) also netted a pair of goals for the third multi-goal effort of her career.
The Sharks took control of the pace from the opening whistle with scoring chances coming within the third and fourth minute. The Simmons' pressure led to Gammon finding sophomore Rachel Gilbert (Falmouth, Mass.) on a through ball that split the defense and onto Gilbert's foot for the team's first marker of the year at 4:53. The Sharks maintained their dominance in the offensive half as they added a goal each from Forde and junior forward Mikayla Elliott (Lowell, Mass.) in a three-minute span. Simmons owned multiple scoring opportunities prior to the half, but settled for a 3-0 margin at the intermission.
The Sharks' defense limited Newbury to just two shots in the match, while the Simmons offense unleashed 47, including 21 on frame. The Nighthawks were unable to capitalize on a corner kick in the 11th minute and senior forward Shannon Walsh's (Massapequa, N.Y.) shot was stopped in the 13th minute of the opening half. Newbury received another opportunity when junior midfielder Jennifer McDonald (Magnolia, Texas) was turned back in the 84th minute of play.
Simmons turned up its attack in the second half with 26 shots, including six goals. Gammon scored twice, to give her multiple goals for the fifth time in her tenure, and Forde once in the first ten minutes of the period.
The Sharks newcomers provided the firepower in the final 30 minutes with first years Isabelle Guntheinz (Camden, Maine), Darschelle Desronvil (Brockton, Mass.) and Nell Spencer (Buxton, Maine) each finding the back of the net for their first respective collegiate goals.
Senior keeper Casey Halle (Watertown, Mass.) made one save in the first half of play, before deferring to junior Lauren Williams (Bowdoinham, Maine), who also stopped a shot in the second stanza. Junior goalie Noelle Sass (Randolph, Mass.) made 12 saves for the visitors.
Simmons is in action again when it travels to Cambridge, Mass. to take on Lesley University on Wednesday, September 6 for an 8:00 p.m. match, while Newbury heads to Worcester, Mass. to play Clark University on September 5 at 7:00 p.m.